Garment-stay



(No Model.)

B. K. WARREN.

GARMENT STAY.

No. 389,993. Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

EDhVARD KIRK \VARREN, OF THREE OAKS, MICHIGAN.

GARM ENT-STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,993, datedSeptember 25, 1888.

Application filed July 12, 1887. Serial No. 244,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD KIRK WAR REN, of Three Oaks, in the county ofBerrien and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Dress-Stays, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention has for its object the production of an improved finisheddress or garment stay-that is, a stay covered and completed ready to beattached to the dress-waist or portion of the garment to which the stayis to be applied, and which shall give it a very neat and tastyappearance.

The invention consists in a completed covered stay for dresses or othergarments or ar ticles of wear, the same being. composed of a compositestiffening blade or strip covered by two separate pieces of fabricprojecting beyond the side edges of the composite blade, and therestitched together to tightly inclose said blade, and at the same timeform selvages through which the seamstress may stitch and secure thestay throughout its length to the garment, and in having a row .ofstitches en tirely through the stay intermediate of the rows of sidestitches, substantially as set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal view of a piece of dress or garmentstay embodying my invention, with a portion of the covering turned downto expose the stiffening-strip, which is a feather-bone one. Fig. 2 is aView similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified construction at thestiffeningstri p.

In the construction of the finished dress stay, as shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings, I take two pieces of ribbon, tape, or cloth, I) c, of anydesired width-as, for instance, heavy satin ribbon for the outsidepiece, I), and a thin taffeta silk ribbon for the lining, a, somewhatnarrower, if desired, than the outside, b,- but this is not essential,and the same textile fabric or material may be used for both sides ofthe covering, and any kind of fabric or material be used, though theinner and outer facings must always be of separate pieces. Between theseinner and outer facings, Z c,

forming the covering, I insert a stiffeningstrip, d, of somewhatnarrower width than the covering-as, for instance, a stiffeningstrip ofwhat is known as feather-bone, which is composed of suitably-arrangedstrips of quill suitably bound or wrapped and stitched, and virtuallyforming-a series of Iongitudinal elastic cords. Any suitable elasticsubstance, however, can be used in place of the feather'bone, and whichmay either be formed of separate cords, as is feather-bone, so as toadmit of sewing through between the cordsas, for instance, between thecenter cords. When the elastic stiffening-strip has the upper and loweror outer and inner tapes or ribbons, b c, placed as described, with thestiffening-strip longitudinally in the center of and between them,leaving oppositelongitudinal edge portions, margins, or selvages, f, arow of stitching, s, is made longitudinally through the center portionof the stay, or otherwise through the portion of it occupied by thestiffening-strip, uniting the covering and stiffening-stri p together,after which a row of stitching, 8', may be run through the coveringalong each side ofthe stiffeningstrip, thereby bringing as much tensionto bear on the stay as possible. The stay can thus be made in a greatvariety of colors and with various ornamcntations very quickly bymachinery.

'In using the term textile fabric, as applied to the covering, I designto include any fabric or material that can be similarly applied and willanswer the same purpose. Furthermore, the stiffening-strip, even whenmade of feather-bone, may be made up of a series of separate cords notfirst stitched together or wrapped, as shown in Fig. 1, but simplyassembled and formed in a flat blade or strip by laying them between thetapes or covering and stitching between each cord, as shown at s s inFig. 2. If desired, the stiffening-strip may be made in the same mannerfrom the enamel portion of cane or rattan, or from improved whalebone,which is com posed of properly-arranged strips or fibers of whalebonesuitably bound or wrapped and stitched, and virtually forming a seriesof elastic cords; or the stiffening-strip might be made of wire inparallel rows or otherwise.

In the construction of the stay, as specified,

by running one or more rows of stitching through the central portion ofthe stay, as described, with a close tension, the elasticity of the stayis greatly increased.

I am aware that a garment-stay has been made in a stripby cementingsheets of rubber and textile covering over stiffening-blades, and thesame afterward cut apart as required. Such, however, essentially differsfrom my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A dress-stay formed of a composite blade and separate covering pieces orfaces of greater Width than said blade, and stitched at opposite sidesand intermediate the Width thereof, thereby tightening the covering andincreasing the tension of the stay, the side edges of thecovering-strips forming selvages for securing the stay throughout itslength to the garment, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD KIRK XVARREN.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES H. HATFIELD, HENRY CHAMBERLAIN.

